This inventio relates to a process of preparing bis(trifluoromethylphenyl)methanol, ##STR1## which is a compound useful as an intermediate material for medicines such as anti-arrhythmia drug, agricultural chemicals or liquid crystals.
It is known to synthesize bis(trifluoromethylphenyl)methanol by reaction of a substituted benzaldehyde with a Grignard reagent derived from phenylbromide. [J. Org. Chem., 49, 409-413 (1984)]
However, the reactants for this method cannot easily be obtained as industrial materials, and the yield of the aimed compound is too low for industrial employment of this method.